The Fall of House Tyler
by Lana Langston
Summary: Following the aftermath of the series finale, an ordinary family dinner at the Tyler household reveals many shocking secrets about the Tyler children. Never a dull moment in the Tyler family.
1. Prologue: Beautiful Chaos

The past few months I've embarked on a journey to watch all TV shows and movies Lee Pace has been in. On my Lee Pace TV show marathon, I stumbled across the TV show, Wonderfalls, which aired from 2004-2005. It was tragically cancelled after one season. I'm familiar with Bryan Fuller's work from Pushing Daisies (which came out in 2007). Wonderfalls was chalk full of lovably quirky characters who individually and together deal with rather intriguing plot arcs. the character development was beautifully fascinating! I truly enjoyed all 14 episodes of Season 1 of Wonderfalls. I'd highly recommend this show!

**_Here's the list of characters involved in The Fall of House of Tyler (TFOHT):_**

_Jaye Tyler: The main protagonist character_

_Darrin Tyler: Jaye's father_

_Karen Tyler: Jaye's mother_

_Aaron Tyler: Jaye's older brother_

_Sharon Tyler: Jaye's older sister_

_Mahandra McGinty: Jaye's childhood best friend_

_Eric Gott: Jaye's love interest_

This chapter is setting the background for the future chapters of TFOHT story. It will help to get a better understanding of the major characters as they become more complex in the future chapters.

_**I do not own any of the characters from Wonderfalls! Warning: Somewhat major spoilers from Wonderfalls ESPECIALLY the series finale episode!**_

**_Hope you enjoy reading my Wonderfalls FanFiction story! I'd greatly appreciate your constructive feedback! R&amp;R!_**

* * *

**Prologue: Beautiful Chaos**

No one said family was easy. Despite how dysfunctional the Tylers were, they always had each other's back. It was a normal Friday evening at the Tyler household. Karen and Darrin were sitting in their family room. She was on the phone talking with Lena, her publicist, about the upcoming book tour for her new travel guide book. Her husband sat beside her on the couch completely engrossed in the PGA golf tournament on the television. All her attempts had miserably failed to pull Darrin's attention away from the television screen. Karen gave up. She returned to intensely multitasking replying to the emails in her inbox while arguing with her publicist.

Everyone had their favorite room in the house. Her son, Aaron, hardly left his room making only _few_ exceptions. He was currently working on his doctorate dissertation on comparative religion. Darrin and Karen weren't disapproving of having their grown-up children still living in their house. Only their youngest daughter, Jaye, chose to move out and live by herself in a trailer park community. Jaye highly valued her independence and privacy. Her parents still didn't understand why their youngest child would give up living comfortably at their house. There was more than enough space for _all_ five of them.

Upstairs in his bedroom, Aaron Tyler had spent the past few days intensely researching the internet about existential spiritual crisis. Some people couldn't wrap their minds around how a self-proclaimed atheist could have many Master's degrees in Theology. It was very shocking to many people. His little sister's "supposedly" uniquely strange ability to hear inanimate animal objects instruct her to help others had made him question his entire perspective on life. What if there was a higher power? This doubt implanted in his thoughts made his mind always restless and conflicted. The sanity Aaron once cherished was nowhere to be found.

Back downstairs in the living room. Karen and Darrin went about their normal activities. Her husband had just opened up a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon to make a celebratory toast to Karen's upcoming summer book tour. The festive bliss was abruptly cut short when the phone rang. Who could be calling them at six o'clock on a Friday evening?

Darrin, who was closet to the landline phone, put it to his ear. "Hello. This is the Tyler residence. Who is this?" There was a short pause before a woman's panicked voice replied.

"Mr. Tyler? This is Mahandra," the woman clarified. There were strong undertones of apprehension in her voice. Mahandra McGinty was Jaye's childhood.

Karen silently mouthed to her husband asking who the caller was. Covering the mouthpiece of the phone, he reported to his wife, "Mahandra. She doesn't usually call the home phone which is odd."

She plucked the handset phone from Darrin's hands. Her husband threw an annoyed glance at her. Karen just simply ignored it. "Hello Mahandra. Jaye isn't here at the moment. She missed tonight's family game night. I assume she must have worked a late shift. My daughter wouldn't miss game night on purpose", Karen remarked. "She loves family game night—"

Mahandra hastily interjected, "If you are watching TV right now change the channel to the local news!" Her urgent voice edged with desperation.

Karen arched her eyebrows. As long as she had known her youngest daughter's best friend, Mahandra usually never spoke to her with such desperate persistence. "Is something wrong, honey? What's on the local news channel right now?" she inquired.

There was an uncomfortable stretch of silence. "Hello. You still there, Mahandra?" Karen beseeched impatiently.

"A bank robber has taking four people hostage at the Wonder Falls Gift Emporium. The identities of the four hostages have been released...including Jaye and Sharon," Mahandra explained in a dead serious tone. She anxiously waited for Mrs. Tyler's response.

Another long pause on the other end of the phone call. Karen frantically grabbed for the television remote switching to the local news channel. Darrin threw another annoyed glance at her. "Why the hell did you change the channel? I was happily watching the PGA golf—"he exclaimed lividly but immediately shut up after one glance at his wife. Her calm facial expression morphed into a distraught expression. "What's wrong, darling?" Darrin lovingly insisted. His wife's face turned pale. Karen hung up the phone call without saying goodbye to Mahandra. The handset phone fell out of her hand and onto her lap. She buried her face in her hands and began to weep. Darrin was now officially concerned. Something was definitely wrong. He instinctively enveloped his wife in a comforting hug while soothingly stroking her head. Darrin didn't know what to say to ease her distress. Something had seriously shaken her up. "What did Mahandra tell you?" he persistently implored.

"Our daughters have been taken hostage at the Wonder Falls Emporium," she answered between her sobs. Burying her face in his chest, Karen wept harder causing her entire body to tremble.

Darrin sharply sucked in air as his body froze. "Get the car keys and wait in the car," he instructed his wife. Karen unwrapped herself from his comforting embrace. She wiped her tear-stained face with her hand and silently proceeded to retrieve a coat and the car keys. He shot up from the couch and dashed up the stairs. Barging into his son's bedroom without knocking, there was no time for polite formalities in their urgent situation. Aaron was intensely gazing at his computer screen with headphones on.

Shaking his shoulders to get Aaron's attention, Darrin loudly bellowed, "Aaron! Get dressed and meet me in the hallway in a few minutes. This is an emergency! Time is of the essence! Don't dawdle!" Out of the corner of his eyes, Darrin could have sworn he saw the phrase "existential spiritual crisis" on his son's computer screen. Aaron has been inexplicably acting very strange the past few days. There was time to ask about his matter later. Now was not the time.

The booming voice startled Aaron as he yanked off his headphones and spun around to find his father standing in front of him. "What the hell! Haven't you heard of knocking instead of barging in my room, dad? You scared the shit out of me!" he angrily snapped at his father with his hands tightly crossed across his chest.

"This is _my_ house and I don't need your permission to enter," his father clarified. "You've been acting very peculiar recently but we'll discuss that later. Right now I need you to get ready and follow me to the car. Jaye and Sharon along with two others are being held hostage at Wonder Falls Gift Emporium! Your mother is anxious awaiting us in the car."

Without responding to his dad, Aaron shot out of the computer chair. He threw on a thick sweater over his cotton t-shirt and followed closely behind his dad down the stairs. They bundled up in winter parkas along with gloves and scarf. Sprinting out of the house, the front door noisily slammed shut behind them.

Back at The Barrel, Mahandra repeatedly dialed the Tyler's home phone number with no answer. Each time it went straight to voicemail. "Damn it!" she cussed under her breath in exasperation while slamming the payphone back onto its stand. A few people sitting around the bar cast curious glances at the cocktail waitress before resuming back to their conversations. Mahandra hurriedly bundled up in her long winter parka, hat, scarf, and gloves. There were more than enough waitresses at The Barrel to cover for her. She rushed out without notifying her manager. Revving the engine of her car, she sped out of the parking lot towards Wonder Falls Gift Emporium. Mahandra needed to know her best friend, Jaye Tyler, was unharmed and safe!

Darrin, Karen, and Aaron Tyler huddled close together shivering in the blisteringly wintery cold. They stood close behind the police barricade nervously awaiting news about Jaye and Sharon. They were still being held hostage inside Wonder Falls Gift Emporium. Mahandra parked her car in an available street parking. She briskly shoved through the growing crowd not caring about the irritated gazes people threw at her. Finally, Mahandra spotted the Tylers amongst the sea of people. Fearing for her friend's well-being, tears formed slowly blurring her vision. She maneuvered through the populous throngs of people as the tears began to sting her eyes. Mahandra stopped momentarily to wipe away the stinging tears.

The four hostages ran out of the Wonder Falls Gift Emporium building. Paramedics instantly descended out of their vehicles rushing towards the four hostages. The hostages stubbornly followed the paramedic team to their vehicles to be examined. Thirty minutes later, the paramedic teams released almost all hostages _except_ one to their anxious loved ones waiting nearby the police barricade. The three hostages were given a clean physical bill of health.

Sharon and Jay raced into their parents' welcoming embrace. Karen and Darrin were over the moon joyful to be reunited with their two daughters. They were both unharmed yet still slightly shaken up after their terrifying ordeal. Jaye and Sharon at one point weren't sure they'd make it out alive. Their quick-thinking and resilient personalities are the reason all four hostages came out unscathed. They outsmarted the bank robber holding them hostage for the past several hours.

Not wanting to interrupt the joyous reunion, Aaron stayed back watching them with an exuberant grin. He was glad his sisters returned to them safely and completely unscathed. Out of the corner of his eye, Aaron thought he saw a woman bearing close resemblance to Mahandra McGinty. He assumed it was his conscience playing a nasty trick. Earlier that day, Aaron dropped by The Barrel to see his beautiful girlfriend. Mahandra refused to acknowledge their relationship in public. He wanted her to come to terms in her own time. She was paranoid that if the other Tyler family members found out about their clandestine relationship they would disapprove. Patience was one of his many virtues. 'Good things came to those who wait' was his life motto. Aaron had no problem patiently waiting. Mahandra was definitely worth it.

"Aaron," someone yelled in the distance. This snapped him out of his deep thoughts and back to reality. His girlfriend pushed her way through the hordes of people. Running towards him, she gleefully threw her arms around his neck. Aaron almost lost his balance but quickly re-balanced otherwise they both would have gone down. That would have been bad considering how frigid cold the ground was. He slowly planted her feet firmly on the ground. Her eyes were puffy and red. "I left The Barrel as soon as I heard about the hostage situation on the local news playing in the bar area. Are your sisters okay? I was so afraid something horrible would happen to them." She burrowed her face into her scarf as an icy cold blast whiplashed her face.

"All four hostages are safe and unharmed. The paramedics already examined each of them. My sisters are strong-willed. Us Tylers stay level-headed even when thrown in frightening situations," Aaron assured his anxious girlfriend. She wept tears of joy upon hearing the wonderful news. The adrenaline flowing through her body flooded her with overwhelming emotions. Mahandra usually never cried this much. Her boyfriend pulled her into a comforting bear hug. Their close body contact helped keep them warm in the blisteringly frigid outdoors. Neither Aaron nor Mahandra could deny the strong feelings mutually felt for each other. Their chemistry was undeniable. Despite all the chaos and commotion around them, it felt as if time had frozen and they were the only people there. They were completely unaware Jaye, Sharon, Karen, and Darrin were now watching them in amusement. So lost in the moment Mahandra pulled away and softly kissed his lips. Smiling at her, Aaron kissed her back. She had _unintentionally_ announced her relationship with Aaron Tyler to the public. Good things can came from beautiful chaos.

Karen and Sharon gasped in genuine surprise at their PDA. Jaye and her father watched wearing similar bemused facial expressions. Mahandra and Aaron had brilliantly kept their romantic relationship under wraps that none of the Tylers suspected anything between them. The four of them were so stunned by their romantic relationship.

When the four of them could finally form coherent sentences, Mahandra and Aaron were catapulted back to reality. Four set of eyes stared at them with their mouths gaping. A bright red blush spread across her face upon realizing she had ousted their secret relationship. Her boyfriend lightly chucked under his breathe and softly kissed her forehead. Grasping her hand, Aaron pulled her towards his family. They were still trying to wrap their minds around how he had deviously outsmarted them under their own roof!

There was never a dull moment in the Tyler household. Always something interesting happening. Let alone all of their uniquely fascinating personalities was enough to provide exciting entertainment. Yet despite their quarrels and disagreements, the Tylers unconditionally loved and supported each other.

* * *

**I appreciate you supporting my story! Stay tuned for the next chapter!**


	2. Chapter 1: The New Norm

_**Here is the next chapter to The Fall of House Tyler. If you need a reminder of the main character involved in the story refer the previous chapter. I'm still currently working on the next chapter whenever I have pockets of free-time in my busy schedule with all my classwork. I've had a blast working on this Wonderfall fanfic story because this wonderful fandom deserves more recognition! For all you Pushing Daisies fans, you'll appreciate the subtle reference to Pushing Daisies cleverly inserted within this chapter. **_

_**I'd greatly appreciate your constructive feedback! Enjoy! R&amp;R!**_

* * *

**Chapter 1: The New Norm**

A few weeks later, everyone resumed their normal activities. Life went on as usual. It was as if the hostage situation at Wonder Falls Gift Emporium never happened. Neither Jaye nor Sharon was experiencing any PTSD symptoms according to their family therapist, Dr. Ron. That was good news since neither of them could afford to miss a single day of work. Jaye and Sharon didn't have much of a social life outside of their jobs. They were perfectly content with their limited social lives. The Tyler children had accepted this long time ago.

Jaye could peacefully think on her own the past few days _without_ inanimate animals communicating with her. Only her older brother knew about her strange secret. The less her parents and older sister knew about this peculiar quirk the better. They wouldn't believe it. It would have been rationalized as a mental breakdown as a result of her uninspiring job slowly driving Jaye insane. Despite graduating from Brown University with a bachelor's degree in philosophy, Jaye Tyler couldn't find jobs that put her prestigious education to use. Instead, she had been discontentedly working as a retail sales clerk at her local gift shop for the past three years. Her parents gave up trying to convince their youngest daughter to quit her job at Wonder Falls Gift Emporium and try looking for a real job utilizing her philosophy degree. She was adamantly determined not to follow in the same footsteps as her parents and siblings. Jaye Tyler would forge her own path in life _without_ her family's influence. Until she decided what her next step was, Jaye disgruntledly continued her retail job at Wonder Falls Gift Emporium with Alec "the Mouth Breather" as her boss.

That evening was the Tyler's monthly game night followed by a family dinner _personally_ cooked by Karen. Game night brought out the overly competitive sides of everyone. Normally, it was the parents versus the three children. Right before driving to her parents' house, Jaye stopped by The Barrel. Sharon had left a cryptic voicemail telling to meet her at there.

Jaye didn't mind since The Barrel was one of her favorite local hangout spots. She often stopped by here after her work shift to see her best friend, Mahandra, and her boyfriend, Eric Gott. It was almost fully packed with locals and tourists every night.

Jaye parked her car narrowly swerving out of the way to avoid getting hit by a pick-up truck in the parking lot. Unobservant drivers were one of her _major_ pet peeves. Once inside, she scanned the establishment for her older sister. A small booth in the corner of the restaurant area. Jaye plopped down in the chair across from Sharon. Her sister stared right at her with an unreadable facial expression.

"Mom has been acting very suspicious around me lately. I think she _knows_," Sharon confessed with undertones of distress laced in her voice. No one but Jaye knew Sharon's scandalous secret. Sharon Tyler was a lesbian. Her secret fueled underlying insecurity that made her feel isolated from the world. She hid this insecurity with confidence and a highly success career as an US Immigration Attorney.

Jaye replied sarcastically rolling her eyes, "You're being super paranoid. I'm sure everything is fine." Her older sister could be so melodramatic sometimes.

"I'm being very serious, Jaye," Sharon insisted. "Mom has been asking me a lot of questions about Beth along with the nature of our 'relationship'. She's onto my secret!"

"Have you considered our mother is looking out for your best interest just in her _usual_ overbearing way?" Jaye proposed. "Mom has a very strange way of showing how much she loves and cares about her children."

Her sister contemplated this possibility. Jaye had numerous stories about their mother prying into her life with a plethora of questions. She had learned how to answer yet simultaneously deflect her questions. Karen Tyler meant well but all her children had found coping mechanisms over the years. So many fascinating dynamics within the Tyler family.

Tension eased from her body. "You're right. I'm just reading too much into it," Sharon pensively remarked. "No need to panic unnecessarily." She sighed a huge breathe of relief.

Jaye tightly controlled her facial muscles fighting the strong urge to boldly smirk. Her older sister _hardly_ ever acknowledged Jaye was right about something. Sharon was constantly giving her advice about creating a fulfilling life with a meaningful purpose.

Meanwhile at the bar area, Mahandra was carefully balancing alcoholic drink orders on the circular tray. Eric was an amazing bartender who could churn out drinks quickly keeping up with the overwhelming drink orders even during the hectic lunch and dinner rush. He was so efficient that Eric was practically like two bartenders in one person. Mahandra delivered the drink orders to the right customers. Her work shift was ending in ten minutes. It had been a grueling day! Her whole body ached with fatigue. She covered for one of the waitresses who called in sick that morning. Mahandra had served Crystal's tables on top of her own duties as cocktail waitress. She was going to bed early tonight. The very idea of sleep made her giddy with joy.

As she hung up her serving apron, Mahandra saw Aaron Tyler enter The Barrel. Grinning from ear to ear, she yelled out to her boyfriend, "AARON!" His ears perked up at the mention of his name. His eyes scanned the entire place to see who called his name. Something else distracted him. Aaron noticed his sisters were huddled at a small table in the corner of the restaurant section. This piqued his curiosity. Jaye and Sharon didn't usually spend much time together _outside_ of the house. They'd been spending much quality time the past few months. He could only think of few reasons that made any logical sense. The hostage situation few weeks ago had actually strengthened their sisterly bond. Life was full of intriguing surprised.

Getting Eric's attention behind the bar, Aaron inquired casually, "I see you are very busy right now. I was wandering if you had seen Mahandra. She told me to pick her up after her work shift ended." The bartender busily wiped down some clean beer jugs. He pointed to the back room then started on a new batch of drink orders. Aaron sauntered past the bar towards the back room. Feeling rather spontaneous, he decided to surprise his girlfriend. The past few days had been insanely hectic. Yesterday his advisor asked him last-minute to meet him for lunch to discuss the progress on his doctorate dissertation paper. Aaron and Mahandra had already planned a date around the same time. He felt guilty for cancelling the date, but the meeting with his advisor took higher priority. He had a brilliant idea of how to make up for the last-minute cancellation of their date.

Changed out of her work clothes into casual clothes, Mahandra bundled up in her winter coat, secured the scarf around her neck, and put on her leather gloves. No matter how many layers of clothing you wore in winter you still felt very cold sometimes. It never ceased to amaze her how some tourists had no idea how to properly dress when visiting Niagara Falls, New York during the winter time. She considered greeting her best friend before leaving, yet decided not to interrupt in case Jaye and Sharon were having a private conversation. She hardly ever saw Jaye and Sharon Tyler spending time together. Mahandra began to grab her purse when a male voice behind her startled her. "Is your work shift over?" the male voice asked curiously.

Without turning around to see who it was, she replied cheerfully, "Hell yeah! I'm looking forward to going to bed early tonight. Crystal owes me big time for covering her shift today." Weariness seeped into her bones.

"The night is still young. Why not do something fun to kick off the weekend," the guy suggested.

This response baffled her. Mahandra initially assumed the man standing behind her was her manager. Joel would never ask about their personal lives. Her manager didn't care what his employees did outside of work as long as it didn't interfere with their jobs at The Barrel. Only Eric would inquire details about her personal life, but his work shift ended in a couple hours. Mahandra didn't interact much with her other co-workers. She liked having a small close-knit circle of friends. Quality over quantity. Mahandra curiously spun around to see who was talking to her. Her handsome boyfriend towered over her with an adorable boyish grin plastered on his face.

"And I thought you didn't hear me calling to you when you entered," she commented with a hearty laugh.

Recognition dawned on him as his facial expression reflected his perplexed state. "So it was you. I was trying to figure out who called out my name. Anyway I decided to surprise you right after your work shift ended," he said. "I feel horrible for last-minute cancellation our date last night."

"It really isn't a problem. I understand the meeting with your advisor was very important. The Barrel was somehow understaffed last night. My manager called me to work the evening shift. My evening turned out to be more eventful than I originally intended," Mahandra added. She fully understood and respected the fact they each had their busy lives. Her job at The Barrel. His doctorate dissertation on comparative religion.

"I wanted to make it up to you," Aaron sincerely admitted. "I'm inviting you to accompany me to family game night this evening." Mahandra skeptically glanced at him.

"You mean family dinner?" she asked for clarification.

He shook his head. "Nope. Family game night," Aaron clarified with bold confidence.

Mahandra didn't know how to react. Her facial expression reflected her inner confliction. After coherently dissecting her thoughts, she replied, "That's a bad idea, Aaron. From the many stories I've heard from my best friend, Friday Family Game Night is a sacred family tradition. I can't intrude on this family tradition. That would be wrong."

Karen and Darrin Tyler had finally come to terms with their romantic relationship over the past few weeks. His mother normally hated all the girls her son dated even if they were absolute sweethearts. Mahandra McGinty had somehow convinced his parents to give their blessing on their relationship. This almost never happened. Even Jaye and Sharon were very surprised this. Mahandra didn't want to piss off his parents by inviting herself to their game night _without_ their permission. You don't mess with sacred Tyler family traditions and come out intact.

"It will be alright, Mahandra. Trust me. You're practically part of our family. You're like a sister to Jaye—" he began to say but abruptly trailed off upon realizing the extremely creepy implication of his last comment. Momentarily looking away, he hid the awkward blush rapidly spreading across his face. Aaron regained his composure and cleared his throat. "Actually what I meant to say was my parents won't mind you accompanying me tonight. They will have to get used to you being a part of my life."

"A family dinner is one thing, but I will not destroy a Tyler family tradition—" she asserted but her boyfriend cut her off.

Affectionately grasping her hand, Aaron said with a subtle smile, "Change isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's about time some family traditions were altered. Do you trust me?"

Mahandra contemplated of what to do next. While she wholeheartedly trusted her boyfriend, she didn't want to face the potential wrath of his parents _especially_ his mother. She decided to take a huge leap of faith and trust things will be in her favor. "Let's go. You force me out of my comfort zone, Aaron Tyler. Change is good. Her boyfriend wrapped his arm around her waist as she warmly leaned on him. They strolled out of The Barrel to his car. Mahandra would pick up her car some time tomorrow.

Back at the Tyler household, Karen and Darrin shifted the family room furniture for their family game night. This had been a cherished tradition since their children were young. The front door swung open as a strong wintery blast blew into the foyer area.

"We're here!" Sharon loudly announced.

"Good God. I'm pretty sure everyone in China can hear you," Jaye sarcastically commented. Sharon cast an irritated glare at her younger sister. If she had a free hand, Sharon would have smacked her.

Her entire life Sharon Tyler constantly sought her parents' approval in all of her life accomplishments. On the other hand, her younger sister, Jaye, could care less about seeking her parents' approval. Two entirely different types of personalities.

Darrin and Karen excitedly greeted their two daughters in the foyer. Tonight was game night was Sharon's pick. Each family member were given the opportunity to select their favorite game regardless if it was a card game or board game for Family Game Night. A board game box was tucked under one arm and a bottle of Pinot Noir in her free hand. Jaye held a large wooden pie box in her arms. It was their favorite flavor of pie. Blueberry pie from The Pie Hole. Karen took the wooden pie box to the kitchen. Darrin took the Pinot Noir wine bottle to the family room. Sharon and Jaye followed behind their father.

Everyone was sitting in the family room. Sharon opened the bottle of red wine and poured a glass for everyone. Jaye politely refused the glass of wine. She wasn't a fan of wines. Instead, she had grabbed a Heineken beer from their kitchen fridge. Twenty minutes later, their son arrived with his girlfriend in tow. Aaron and Mahandra stood in the entrance of the family room.

"Mahandra?" Jaye exclaimed with a baffled facial expression. "What are you doing here?" She arched her eyebrow in intrigue.

Before anyone else could verbally react, Aaron stated with strong conviction, "I invited my girlfriend to game night. There is no rule _against_ inviting others to our game nights."

Her son's brazen behavior recently left Karen flabbergasted. Aaron couldn't quite read his father's facial expression. It was difficult to gauge his reaction. His sisters merely shrugged it off.

Karen proceeded to open her mouth to speak, but Sharon immediately interjected. "This works out perfectly for Scattergories! We have three even teams of two people." Karen narrowed her eyes at her eldest daughter.

"Take off your coats and come join us guys," Jaye insisted. Aaron and Mahandra were still standing awkwardly in the entrance of the family room. She had absolutely no problem if her best friend crashed their Family Game Night. Things that annoyed her mother brought Jaye some joy. Her sister often expressed her disgust at how screwed up that tactic and its logic were.

Mahandra and Aaron took a seat next to Jaye on the couch. They evenly split themselves into three teams. Karen and Darrin. Sharon and Aaron. Jaye and Mahandra. Scattergories was brainy word game. In concept, it sounded like simple game. Once you actually played Scattergories it was more challenging. To win this game, it would require creative wit and a vast general knowledge of various topics. This was Sharon's favorite game since she was a teenager. Scattergories was an intensely exhilarating game.

Several hours and many rounds, the winner of Scattergories was determined. Much to the surprise of everyone Jaye and Mahandra had won by a majority. Sharon and Aaron were slightly annoyed by this. Three bad rounds had given them the opportunity to get ahead of Aaron and Sharon's score. Family Game Night definitely brought out fiercely competitive natures in everyone even the most mild-mannered or shy personality. Karen went to the kitchen to set up everything for the family dinner. Everyone else helped clean up the game and reorganized the living room furniture back to their original places in the family room. Playing Scattergories the past several hours, it had worked everyone into a ravenous appetite. Mouthwatering aroma of Karen's delicious homemade dinner travelled towards the family room. Everyone proceeded to the dining room as the delicious aroma enveloped them in loving warmth.

Darrin took a seat at the head of the table. Jaye and Sharon sat next to each other. Mahandra and Aaron sat across from them. Karen brought the final dinner dish to the table. A simple yet savory home cooked meal. She took a seat in the last available chair directly across from her husband. Everyone thoroughly devoured the food on the dining table.

An hour and a half later, Sharon and Jaye offered to take everyone's plates. They even were going to wash and dry them. This hardly happened. Their mother eyed her two daughters suspiciously. She had never seen them spend so much quality time together until the past few weeks. Karen had kept a close on Jaye and Sharon since the hostage situation. All of her children had been acting strange in their own way. She couldn't fathom the reason behind this mystery.

Back in the kitchen, Jaye and Sharon busily washed and dried the plates along with the food dishes. Something had been nagging Sharon all week. There was no one else who knew her secret _except_ her little sister. It was bizarrely comforting. Passing another wet plate to her little sister, Sharon admitted, "I'm scared, Jaye." She wasn't known to show others her emotional vulnerability.

"What's wrong? Does this involve Beth?" She could hear genuine concern in her older sister's voice even if Jaye kept her gaze fixed on the dinner plate in her hands. Jaye slide the plate on the dryer rack.

All the food dishes and dinner plates were washed and dried. Only the metal utensils were left to wash. Sharon meticulously categorized the utensils in the sink.

"I'm starting to question my relationship with Beth," she confessed. "Beth is bisexual which complicates our relationship. I'm afraid she will leave me for another woman or man."

Jaye refocused her attention back to her older sister. "That's ridiculous. Things seem to be going swell between you two," she bluntly said. "Beth won't find anyone as understanding or wonderful as you _especially not_ here in Niagara Falls."

Her sister's unintentional compliment warmed her heart. Jaye rarely gave her family affectionate compliments. If she did, you deeply cherished it. "That's not the problem. I'm not sure I trust my girlfriend. She recently admitted something startling. It has made me question how long our relationship can last."

Gently touching Sharon's arm, Jaye asked, "What's wrong?"

"The night of the hostage situation I realized if I kept giving Beth mixed signals she would break-up with me soon. My feelings for her are real. I drove straight to her house to reaffirm my confidence in our relationship. Things have been great between us since them...at least I thought so. She has cheated on me with her ex-husband once during our relationship," Sharon explained while tightly controlling her facial expression. She refused to cry in front of little sister.

Jaye soothingly patted Sharon's arm. "I'm so sorry to hear that, Sharon. Why would Thomas do that after giving his full blessing to date his ex-wife?"

"How the hell would I now," Sharon exclaimed in exasperation. She had been contemplating this conundrum the entire week. "I'm pretty sure we established our relationship was exclusive. My hesitancy to open up might be the reason Beth went to Thomas."

"Don't you dare try to blame yourself!" Jaye firmly yet lovingly admonished Sharon. "Beth doesn't truly appreciate what you are putting at risk by being in relationship with her."

"I don't know what to believe anymore. Instead of complicating things, I should just walk away and cut my losses. That would be the easiest. Yet I'm very determined to fight for our complicated relationship," Sharon enunciated with strong conviction in her voice.

"This past year has taught me many things including how the best things in life worth fighting for are never simple. There is always fascinating complexities to it," Jaye said contemplatively. "This is essentially true about the origins of my whirlwind romance with Eric."

Eric Gott found refuge at The Barrel in Niagara Falls when on his honeymoon with his wife, Heidi. Upon finding Heidi "servicing" the hotel bellman in their honeymoon suite, Eric drank copious amounts of alcohol at The Barrel for three days straight. The owner took pity on him giving Eric Gott a bartending job until his situation improved. Clearly, Eric was trying to escape his crappy circumstance especially confronting his new wife. After meeting Jaye Tyler for the first time, he was immediately attracted to her quirky and brash personality. She was unlike any woman he'd dated in the past. While his college sweetheart wife had betrayed his trust in her, Eric couldn't bring himself to hate Heidi Sockett-Gotts. Jaye's inability to openly express her feelings for him often drove him away. Yet neither of them was willing to give up. There was an undeniable chemistry drawing them together like strong magnets. Realizing Eric wasn't actively trying to patch things up, Heidi returned back to Niagara Falls for reconciliation. She was very surprised to discover another woman wanted to steal away her husband. Heidi went through great lengths employing a variety of manipulative tactics to win back _her_ Eric. All of her efforts ultimately failed. The bonds forged between Jaye and Eric was too strong to destroy. Ultimately, she accepted their marriage wouldn't last. She packed up her bags and returned back to New Jersey licking her wounded ego. There was no point to persistently fight for Eric when even his heart was no longer in their marriage. Heidi Sockett was going to move on with her life _without _Eric Gott. This gave Jaye and Eric a chance to explore a romantic relationship without too many complications involved.

Something metallic clattered onto the hardwood kitchen floor. This snapped Jaye and Sharon out of their deep conversation. Three sets of eyes gawked at them. Their parent gaped at their daughters in utter disbelief. Aaron merely smirked in amusement. Everything made sense.

"Beth is your girlfriend?" Karen exclaimed incredulously. Sharon couldn't look at her parents or brother straight in the eyes. She stared at her feet not wanting to make direct eye contact with anyone even her younger sister. Awkward silence hung heavy in the air.

A few minutes later, Aaron still smirking broke the silence. "So this is why you two have been so secretive!" he declared triumphantly. "I was skeptical of why you guys had been spending so much quality time together. It all makes complete sense now." Clearly, their brother enjoyed watching his two sisters uncomfortably squirm under the scrutiny of their parents. Looks like no one was going to defend them. They had to get themselves out of this. At least the sisters had each other for support. Sharon and Jaye weren't in this alone.

"You dated a married man, Jaye?" her father inquired. There were heavy tones of disapproval in his voice. Jaye got slight enjoyment out of spitefully rebelling against her mom's expectations for her. Yet, she hated disappointing her dad. This was a peculiar logic.

Sharon and Jaye felt they were standing in a burning furnace. Their parents didn't need to say much to make them feel they were being intensely interrogated under a very bright spotlight. They had no idea what to say to remedy their situation.

Mahandra immediately interjected to defend her best friend, "It wasn't Jaye's fault Eric's wife was a manipulative bitch who refused to accept reality. There was no future for them. Eric deserved to be with someone who didn't use deceptive schemes to get their way. Eric and Heidi are officially divorced since the papers were signed couple weeks ago. So you have no need to worry about anything scandalous." Mahandra was genuinely happy for Eric and her best friend. Their personalities balanced each other out. She couldn't stand waiting in the dining room while Jaye got grilled for something that wasn't her fault. Love has a funny way of revealing itself.

Poor Sharon had not a clue of how to respond. No matter what she said in her head it would still garner much displeasure. She hated disappointing her parents. They always saw her as the perfect one out of the all their children. Sharon Tyler could do no wrong nor create any controversial scandals. She did her best to live up to this high expectation her entire life. Sharon strived to be an exemplary role model to her younger siblings. It came with disadvantages as well. There was very little enjoyment in her life. She never went through a rebellious phase constantly afraid of falling short of her parents' expectations. In that very moment, Sharon Tyler had a brilliant epiphany. The past few months of covertly dating Beth not only made her happy but it was exhilarating adrenaline rush. Despite the unpredictable ups and downs, it brought her blissful contentment. Some things in her life were definitely worth fighting for. Sharon Tyler was not going to let her parents decided what would bring her true happiness.

"There's a reason I only told Jaye," she began to explain confidently. "She has been surprisingly very supportive about my lifestyle. She didn't immediately jump to absurd conclusions. Jaye accepted the way I was." Sharon gazed directly at her parents. They were struggling to come to terms their eldest daughter was a lesbian. Not exactly easy to wrap their minds around this shocking revelation. "You don't understand how arduous it is to live up to your unrealistic expectations!" she ranted furiously. "I've spent my _whole_ life so frightened to disappoint you. I'm an extremely accomplished career woman! I've damn well earned the right to experience some happiness in my life."

Her fierce glower demonstrated she meant every word. Jaye and Aaron broke the silence that followed their older sister's passionate harangue by loudly applauding. Neither of them had ever seen Sharon fervently express how she truly felt about something. She almost never talked back to their parents. Karen and Darrin disapprovingly scowled at them. While their parents generally appeared very calm, they could be terrifying when furious with you. Aaron quickly grabbed The Pie Hole wooden box and carried it towards the dining room without making eye contact with his parents. Jaye followed closely behind her brother. The dining room was a neutral place.

Now Sharon was by herself with her parents in the kitchen. Darrin didn't say a word, instead he let the women work it out. He learned a long time ago not to interfere with squabbles between his wife and their two daughters. He slowly retreated back to the dining room.

"I'll always love you Sharon Charlotte Tyler and want you to find happiness in your life. I want you to consider how your unconventional relationship will affect your career," Karen suggested. "You've worked so hard to build a prestigious career. I'd hate to see it tarnish your well-respected reputation. Are you willing to take this risk?"

"Of course you'd be worried this would sully my reputation," Sharon stated irately. "Oh wait you mean _your_ reputation! How dare I potentially ruin your pristine reputation." Her hands were firmly planted on her hips.

"Don't be so melodramatic, honey. I genuinely care about your well-being—" her mother immediately countered but was abruptly cut off.

"That's complete bullshit, mom. Whenever you are ready to talk about this like a civil adult call me. I'll be staying with Beth this week." Sharon angrily stormed out of the kitchen past Karen and up the stairwell. Fifteen minute later, she returned downstairs with a small travel suitcase. The front door slammed noisily behind her. Revving her car's engine, Sharon drove towards her girlfriend's house. Sharon needed some time away from her family _especially_ her overbearing parents.

She began to understand why her little sister chose to move out of the house after graduating Brown University. Having independence from their parents, this helped Jaye maintain some semblance of sanity. Maybe it was time for her to move out of her parents' house. Until recently, Sharon didn't realize how much Jaye and she had so much in common. There had always been strong animosity between them since their childhood. They had learned to tolerate each other's presence steadily over the years. The past several months Jaye and Sharon had become very close. It was strangely fascinating how the years had increasingly strengthened their sisterly bond.

Back in the dining room, Darrin and his two children ate the blueberry pie in uncomfortably awkward silence. Instead of attempting to talk pleasantries, they shoved more pie into their mouths. No one was brave enough to check on Karen in the kitchen.

Emotionally distraught, Karen sank down on the closest chair as her legs violently trembled. Her legs were threatening to completely give out from under her. Burying her face in her hands, hot stinging tears streamed out of her eyes. A distressing whimper escaped her lips. Karen Tyler hardly recognized her three children _especially_ considering how they've been acting lately. It was as if they were entirely different people. Why had Sharon, Aaron, and Jaye drastically changed the past few months? She couldn't fathom this baffling conundrum. It made her head throb.

Jaye, Aaron, and Darrin decided it was best to give Karen her space right now especially after her vociferous confrontation with Sharon. Sharon Tyler almost never verbally lashed out at her family no matter how infuriating they could be. She always seemed so composed and even-keel with her emotionally balanced state of mind. Outer appearances could be very deceiving. Sharon's firm grasp on her sanity was an elaborate façade. She had thoroughly convinced her siblings and parents. Sharon Tyler was more complex than she let on.

Aaron didn't feel comfortable staying at the house that night especially after tonight's unexpectedly lively evening. Family Game Night typically wasn't this crazy. Life was full of surprising curveballs!

His girlfriend had left some time ago no longer feeling welcomed after vehemently defending her best friend's complicated origins with Eric Gott. Mahandra and Sharon were the _only_ people who knew the true story behind the relationship between Jaye and Eric. Aaron fully approved of his younger sister's relationship with Eric. He had never seen Jaye romantically pursue any guy as fiercely. Jaye Tyler refused to take "no" as an answer. Persistent determination was a common personality trait that ran in the Tyler family's blood.

Aaron decided it was best to stay with Mahandra for the next couple of days. Also, this gave them privacy to openly display their affections without the intense scrutiny of his parents. There were some disadvantages to living at home with your parents. Although, the many benefits generally outweighed the drawbacks.

Darrin casually read through The New England Journal of Medicine while nibbling on the last few bites of his slice of blueberry pie. The Tylers were head over heels in love with The Pie Hole baked goods. It was well worth the long drive for deliciously addictive baked pies. The tantalizing aroma was enough to make them salivate. Each bite of pie was absolutely heavenly. Aaron and Jaye equally split the last slice remaining in the wooden pie box.

Jaye wanted to head home soon since the fun evening had taken a drastic turn for the worst. Jaye and her older brother could feel the thick awkward tension emanating throughout the entire house. An awfully inconvenient realization dawned on her.

"Shit!" she cursed under her breath. "Sharon gave me a ride tonight. How the hell am I supposed to go back to my trailer park?" This was a serious dilemma. There was no way she was staying the night at her parents' house. Running her hand through her hair in frustration, Jaye Tyler contemplated what viable options were available.

Aaron placed the fork down on the plate. Instead of taking them to the kitchen sink, he chose to leave it on the dining table. No one dared to enter the kitchen area. "I'm going to call it a night. I promised to meet Mahandra for drinks at The Barrel," Aaron said as he rose from the chair.

Darrin glanced up at his son. He arched his eyebrows in curiosity. His son nearly never went out of the house on a Friday night. "You are going out to get drinks at eleven o'clock at night?" Darrin casually inquired. Aaron Tyler was an introvert who typically highly valued his privacy within the confines of his bedroom.

Before Aaron could reply to his father, Jaye abruptly interjected. "Would you mind dropping me off at my place on the way to The Barrel?" she asked politely. Jaye had figured out the best way to resolve her predicament. Her brother could give her ride back to her place.

Aaron deliberately didn't answer his father. Instead, he responded to his little sister. She had saved him from explaining he would spend the night at his girlfriend's apartment. Jaye didn't know how thankful he was for her interruption.

"Sure! No problem," he replied to Jaye. "It is right on the way to where I'm going so that works out conveniently. We better leave now though so I don't arrive at The Barrel late."

"Sounds good to me." Jaye strolled out of the dining room. She grabbed her winter parka, scarf, and gloves from the coat closet. All bundled up to face the blisteringly frigid elements, Aaron and Jaye walked out of the front door to his car parked in the driveway.

* * *

_**I appreciate you supporting my story! I intend on wrapping up The Fall of House Tyler in the next and final story. Stay tuned for the next chapter!**_


	3. Chapter 2: The Aftermath

_**Here's the next and FINAL chapter of The Fall of House Tyler. I had a blast writing this story. It's been a long time since I've physically written down a story in a notebook. I may write more Wonderfuall fanfics in the future...it all depends on the story idea. This wonderful show truly deserves more recognition! **_

_**I truly appreciate all the support ya'll have given this story!**_

_**I'd greatly appreciate your constructive feedback! Enjoy! R&amp;R!**_

* * *

**Chapter 2: The Aftermath**

Aaron cautiously drove on the snow covered road while listening to his sister tell fascinating stories about her quirky neighbors in her trailer park community. Quite colorful personalities within this small community. Sometimes he envied how Jaye had her own personal life away from the scrutiny of their overbearing parents. She didn't need to be paranoid when they snooped around her living space. His mother would frequently go through her son's belongings in his bedroom when Aaron wasn't at home. Talk about major invasion of privacy within the confines of his own room. Aaron tolerated his parents prying into personal life and living space to an extent. It would take too much effort to move out of his parents' house.

Darrin knew his son fabricated an excuse to leave the house. Most people have nervous habits when they're blatantly lying about something. Aaron's eye slightly twitches when he isn't telling the truth. Darrin never told his son this, so he could have an upper-hand and element of surprise. He decided to let it slide this time. Darrin was in no mood to pick a fight with him. Refocusing his attention to the medical journal on the table, he resumed reading about the latest technological advances in neurosurgery. There was no sound coming from the kitchen. He was starting to become seriously concerned about his wife. Karen hadn't left the kitchen for the past hour and a half. No longer able to focus on the article in front of him, Darrin closed the New England Journal of Medicine and put it down on the dining table. He hesitantly walked into the kitchen. There was a good reason why silence emanated from the kitchen. Karen wasn't there. The only sound was the howling wind gently blowing against the window. Karen must have gone upstairs to their bedroom. It was past eleven o'clock. He decided to call it a night. Darrin promised to play golf with his buddies at the country club tomorrow around noon. He needed to do some things before that so the next day was going to be very busy. He headed upstairs to the extra guest bedroom. Darrin was going to give his wife some space tonight.

Aaron pulled up to the front of Jaye's small trailer park. She gathered her belongings and slide on her gloves. Thankfully the ground was covered with wet snow not snow mixed slick sleet. "I assume you're not going back home tonight. I don't blame you," his sister remarked.

"After the chaotic events of tonight, I don't feel comfortable spending another minute in the house. I'm staying at Mahandra's apartment tonight," he explained while shutting off the car engine.

"That's understandable. Thanks for giving me a ride home. I didn't want to call Sharon to come back to the house just to drive me back to my place. Tell Mahandra I really appreciate her defending my relationship with Eric." Jaye pushed the passenger door open as icy cold wind momentarily blew into the car. Shutting the door behind her, Jaye Tyler walked towards her trailer with the keys in her gloved hand. She waved to her brother. Aaron waved back and started up the engine slowly driving out of the trailer park community. New stop: his girlfriend's apartment.

Delicately cradling a mug of hot chocolate in her hands, Mahandra plopped down on the cushy couch in her living room. Immediately upon returning back to her tiny apartment, she changed out of her street clothes into comfortable pajamas and fuzzy slippers. Mahandra didn't feel sleepy yet. The television provided some entertainment for the past couple of hours. There was a marathon of Friends re-runs. It was her guilty pleasure. She lightly dozed off at some point after drinking the hot chocolate. Loud knocking on her front door startled her. Rubbing her eyes, she uncurled her body from her snug sleeping position. Mahandra reluctantly got off the couch with the flannel blanket tightly around her. "Seriously? Who the hell is knocking on my door now! I swear if those rascal college boys from across the hall are playing a prank I'm reporting their asses tomorrow to the landlord," she muttered with inflections of irritation in her voice.

"I've had it with your childish pranks guys..." Mahandra began to say but trailed off upon seeing the person standing right in front of her. With the door partially ajar, she instantly recognized the person. Her lanky boyfriend affectionately gazed down at her as few strands of hair fell into his blue eyes. "Aaron? I thought you were one of my neighbors from down the hall who think it's hilarious to knock on my door at ungodly hours of the night."

"I know I should have called you first. I'm sorry to show up unannounced so late at night. I can't stay in my house tonight not with the heavy tension suffocating me. Mind if I stay here tonight?" He brushed off the snow from his parka then removed his gloves and scarf.

"Of course not," she responded. "Come on in." Mahandra quickly glanced in the hallway to ensure none of her noisy neighbors were eavesdropping. They were always prying into her private life to find any juicy tidbits of gossip. She wasn't too close with any of her neighbors. Mahandra McGinty mainly kept to herself not caring what they thought of her. Some would call that paranoia but she considered it a preservation of her privacy. There was a _huge_ difference.

Aaron put his bulky parka in the coat closet. This was the third time he had been to her apartment in the two months they'd been dating. She usually came over to see him at his parents' house. Mahandra had learned to stealthily sneak out in the morning _without_ being caught by his parents.

Aaron strolled into the tiny living room as he slowly regained feeling in his hands and face. Friends re-run episodes were playing back-to-back on the television screen. He patiently waited for Mahandra to return. Aaron skimmed his text message inbox checking for any new texts. Nothing. Mahandra entered the room ten minutes later and sat down next to her boyfriend on the couch. "Hot chocolate will help you warm up," she said extending a hot ceramic mug to Aaron. He happily accepted the mug of hot chocolate from his girlfriend. Warm sensations spread throughout his hands while holding the toasty mug. Aaron savored every sip of the delicious hot beverage which was warming up his shivering body. Mahandra offered her fleece blanket to him yet he politely refused. She glanced back at the television screen. After finishing the hot chocolate, Aaron placed the ceramic mug on the round side table next to him. Mahandra affectionately nuzzled against his chest. The fleece blanket now covered them both of their bodies.

During the commercial break, Aaron said, "Jaye really appreciated how you defended her tonight." This almost slipped from his thoughts, but he suddenly remembered his sister telling him to thank Mahandra on her behalf.

"Jaye and I have _always_ had each other's back," Mahandra started to explain while her eyes attentively fixated on the television. "Love works in mysterious ways. Jaye had no control in how complicated her relationship with Eric would get _especially_ when Heidi came into the picture. True love prevailed in the end. Now there are no major obstacles preventing them to be together." Their close body contact kept them warm while cocooned under the fleece blanket.

"Love definitely flourishes in mysterious ways," he affirmed. Aaron Tyler could personally attest to this. "It led me to you." Aaron tenderly held her hand. Mahandra amorously gazed up at him grinning from ear to ear. Lovingly kissing her forehead, she snuggled closer to him.

An hour later, Mahandra switched off the television after the Friends marathon ended. There was nothing else on despite flipping through all the available cable channels twice. Both of them were still wide awake in spite it was nearly 2 am. Aaron and Mahandra were night owls. Neither didn't knew the last time either of them had gone to bed before two o'clock in the morning. They'd gotten used to 4-6 hours of sleep every night.

"My body is physically exhausted yet I don't feel sleepy," she stated. Frustration was laced into each word. Her mind was still very much awake. It was very difficult to force her body to fall asleep. Her bizarre work schedule shifts at The Barrel didn't help establish a normal sleep cycle. The struggle was real.

"I don't see what's wrong with that. We can use it to our advantage. The night is still young," Aaron seductively whispered in her ear.

"While that sounds very tempting, I have an early morning shift at The Barrel unfortunately," she replied with a subtle flirty smirk. "I'm done with my shift at one o'clock in the afternoon. After that I'm all yours since I don't have to work on Sunday."

"Excellent! I look forward to that," Aaron said then lightly kissed her lips. "We should probably head to bed since it has been a long day for us."

Mahandra nodded her head in full agreement. Fatigue seeped through her entire body accompanied with muscle soreness. It had drained almost all the energy out of her. Aaron noticed how little strength she had from the way his girlfriend was sprawled across the couch. Sliding off the couch and rising to his feet, he gently scooped up her lithe body into his arms. People were surprised how much upper body strength he had despite his lanky body build. Mahandra draped her arms around his neck for stability. Aaron proceed up the stairs slowly so not to rouse his girlfriend awake. She had dozed off in his arms. He managed to open her bedroom door without losing balance and quietly shut the door behind them.

_~A Month Later~_

Sharon sulked around her girlfriend's house almost never venturing outside _except _to head to work. Her mother had frequently called and left numerous voicemail messages the past three weeks. Yet, she never called her mother back. Sharon still wasn't ready to face her parents. They were obviously worried about her even resorted to bribing information out of Jaye. Her sister was the one person she remained in contact with since the uproarious confrontation with her parents _especially_ her overbearing mom. Her little sister never pressured her to meet unrealistically high expectations. That's what she loved about Jaye. Sharon Tyler could be herself around Jaye without being constantly fearful of falling short of people's high expectations of her. Sharon had retreated to her inner shell of introverted solace. Not even Beth had managed to pull Sharon out of her cocooned shell. She found deep comfort in her heavily fortified shell. It protected Sharon from the brutal realities of life.

Karen and Darrin resumed their normal activities. Karen masked her distraught emotional state over Sharon behind a semi-convincing smile. She had given her eldest daughter time and space hoping they could have a civil conversation. She had no inkling Sharon was a lesbian. Her daughter gave not even the slightest insinuation towards it. Karen and her husband had no problem with her sexual orientation. Sharon's happiness was all the mattered in the end. They just wanted their three children to have true happiness in their lives. The shocking discovery of Sharon's secret had initially startled them. Karen spent the past couple of weeks wrapping her mind around this new piece of information. Her three children had thrown many surprising curveballs at them this past year.

Sharon skimmed through a court case coming up later that week while leisurely cradling a glass of red wine in her freehand. Beth didn't share her appreciate for wine. Sharon had grown up her life in a household with parents who were passionate wine connoisseurs. Unfortunately this appreciation only got passed onto Sharon not her two younger siblings. One glass of wine helped her relax after a stressful day at work. Her girlfriend respected her taste for fine wines despite her biased preference to beer. Sharon had temporarily moved in with Beth for almost a month. Beth had no problem with this living arrangement. It wasn't difficult to arrange time with one another since they were under the same roof together. Practically nobody in their small town was aware of their romantic relationship. Only few people close to them knew Beth and Sharon were dating. They wanted to keep it like that. Things between them couldn't be any better. At least that's what Sharon thought _before_ Beth dropped a bombshell on her that same night.

Deeply buried in the court case, Sharon had a huge stack of papers scattered around the living room. Beth had been working very late hours for almost two weeks. She was finalizing a construction project on the outskirt of town. Sharon and Beth both had demanding careers that paid very well. Sharon had done her fair share of late nights at the office over the years. Sometimes her girlfriend only came home after midnight. She had never given Beth crap about being a workaholic. That would be basically calling the kettle black.

Beth slammed the front door behind her which snapped Sharon back to reality. Beth assessed the messy state of the living room with piles of paper dispersed along the floor, couch, and coffee table. She didn't mind since Sharon would tidy up afterwards. Perks of living with a compulsive neat freak.

"Big court case coming up soon?" Beth casually inquired. Lethargy had sapped almost all the energy out of her body. Her arduous job as regional manager for a local construction company was simultaneously mentally and physically demanding. The stress of her current project seriously was screwing with her immune system. Intense migraines and random dizzy spells made it more difficult to get through her grueling work day. To make it worse, she suspected a stomach bug going around might finally have gotten to her.

Without moving her eyes from the papers sprawled across her lap, Sharon tersely replied, "More or less. I'm closing up one case and prepping for a new case later this week." Sharon was an immigration lawyer for a prominent firm, Kolken &amp; Kolken. She was almost always at her office when not at the court houses. "Some unforeseen complications have risen in my current case. It wasn't an open and shut case as I'd hope it would be." Sharon was still wearing her business pant suit ensemble while stretched out on the couch.

"I won't disturb you from you work," her girlfriend began to say before a powerful wave of nausea washed over her. Beth immediately covered her mouth and sprinted towards the bathroom. Sharon glanced up to see an empty hallway. Loud retching sounds came from the bathroom. She had become very concerned about Beth's ill-health. Flu-like symptoms had been going on for nearly two weeks. Also, Sharon couldn't afford to become sick _especially_ with her overwhelming caseload right now.

Fifteen minutes later, Beth re-emerged from the bathroom. Sharon took a short break from her case files to make chamomile tea for her girlfriend. Chamomile tea always helped to soothe an upset stomach. Beth walked into the kitchen. Sharon placed the ceramic mug into Beth's hands. She quizzically examined the liquid in the mug. "Chamomile tea," Sharon clarified with a sympathetic smile. "It will help settle down your stomach."

Beth maintained a neutral facial expression. Sharon had no clue of the _real_ reason why she had been very ill the past few weeks. She didn't want to destroy their amazing relationship by telling the truth. It was better Sharon heard the truth directly from her.

"I've been meaning to tell you something for a while now," her girlfriend said. "You may want to sit down for what I'm about to tell you."

This made Sharon very nervous. She sat down on the closest chair within her reach. "I've overstayed my welcome haven't I?" she bluntly asked her girlfriend. Her worst nightmare was coming alive. Her excessive emotional vulnerability had pushed Beth away instead of bringing them closer together.

"Wait what?!" Beth exclaimed with a baffled facial expression. Clearly there was a _huge_ misunderstanding.

"I really appreciate you letting me stay with you for the past month. This was supposed to be a temporary living arrangement until this complicated situation with my parents subsided. I've imposed too much into your life. I can't avoid my parents forever. I'll pack up my stuff and leave tomorrow." Sharon prattled. Verbal diarrhea uncontrollably spewed out of her mouth.

"Shut up for one moment, Sharon," Beth impatiently barked. "I'm not kicking you out. You can stay as long as you need to. You are in no way a burden to me. I have thoroughly enjoyed your company these past few weeks. You have done nothing wrong."

Sharon was now thoroughly confused. "That's good to hear. I thought I'd pushed you away by wearing out my welcome—"

"My God!" her girlfriend abruptly interjected. "I just need you to listen to me. No further interruptions!" Beth almost never snapped at her in frustration. She immediately shut her mouth and turned her full attention to Beth. She hardly lost her temper at anyone. Sharon nodded her head signaling her girlfriend to get off whatever was weighing heavily on her chest.

Sharon stared at Beth too flabbergasted for words. She had no idea how to react Beth's announcement. Few moments of awkward silence hung in the air.

When Sharon could form coherent sentences, she regained her composure. "How long have you known you were pregnant?" she asked while tenderly holding her girlfriend's hand. For some unbeknownst reason, this surprising announcement didn't change how she felt about Beth. The prospect of motherhood clearly gave Beth conflicted emotions. She needed support through this unexpected pregnancy _not_ harsh judgement.

"Almost two weeks when I went to the doctor to find out why I was violently sick," she began. "I expected it to be a mere stomach bug that was going around my workplace. Doctor Harrison explained it could also be intense morning sickness. She made me do additional tests to confirm whether or not her assumption was correct."

"Is Thomas the father of your baby?" The few months she'd been dating Beth there was only one guy Beth cheated on her with. Thomas was Beth's ex-husband. This seemed to be the most logical conclusion.

Her girlfriend nodded her head affirming Sharon's conclusion. "A couple of months ago on the same day as the hostage situation, Thomas dropped by a few hours earlier that day. My emotions were still reeling from our intense fight. Thomas stopped by looking to be comforted. His fiancée had broken off their engagement a few days earlier offering no further explanation. I couldn't be cruel and turn him away. My emotional instability unfortunately led me down a path I couldn't turn back from. Now I'm stuck in this complicated predicament."

"We'll get through this together," Sharon soothingly asserted. She gave her girlfriend's hand a comforting squeeze.

Beth gave a weak smile trying to figure out the best way to respond. She hadn't expected Sharon to react to her bombshell announcement so calmly. Let alone offering her full support. Majority of people would have completely freaked out. A horrible thought popped into her head. What if Sharon was only expressing her support towards Beth's complicated predicament merely as a polite gesture? She would never intentionally be cruel towards her girlfriend. A part of Beth knew this line of logic was absolutely nonsense. Her fear and anxiety of becoming a mother was starting to poison her other thoughts swirling around in her head.

"I know when you agreed to our unconventional relationship you _never_ expected things to become this complex. I understand if you want to disentangle yourself from this mess. You are already taking a huge risk covertly dating me. There's no need to surround you in anymore scandal. You deserve to be with someone who isn't a complete screw-up like me—" Beth said trailing off towards the end while staring down her hands folded in her lap unable to directly look at Sharon.

Sharon rose to her feet. She gently lifted her girlfriend's chin up. Fiercely gazing into Beth's brown eyes, Sharon firmly asserted, "Don't you dare call yourself a screw-up! I was the reason all this chaos unraveled. You were never afraid to express your feelings right from the start. I couldn't express how I truly felt about. I was unsure if you'd accept me for who I truly was. My own fear made me internalize and not open up to you. I basically pushed you back into the arms of your ex-husband."

Beth, who was learning against the kitchen table, pulled a chair and sat right across her girlfriend. "It was my emotional instability that led me to sleep with Thomas even as my logical reason bucked wildly in rebellion. I don't want to implicate you in anymore infamy. You don't need to loyally stay by my side through this messy ordeal. It's my own personal affair not yours. It won't be long before my scandalous secret spreads like raging wildfire in our small town." Their unconventional relationship would be heavily scrutinized once she could no longer hide her baby bump in a couple months. Beth didn't want to be the reason Sharon's well-respected reputation was sullied with iniquitous infamy. It would only negatively impact her prestigiously ambitious career accomplishments.

"I'm done with living my life in constant fear. So what if I don't always live up to my parents' unrealistic expectations? Screw society's norms! It's all conformist bullshit!" Sharon brazenly proclaimed. "I've denied myself true happiness for so long I was merely going through the motions lifelessly. You made me fell alive as I began to see the world in beautifully vibrant colors. The townspeople can spread malicious gossip but it will _never_ change how I feel about you, Beth! Jaye recently told me the best things in life are never simple. There are always fascinating complexities when love is involved. There is nowhere I'd rather be than right beside you. I cannot imagine my life _without_ you, Beth." Sharon Tyler didn't care how ridiculously cheesy or cliché her passionate proclamation sounded. It was the whole truth and nothing but the truth! She loved Beth.

Beth's surprised facial expression was still slowly digesting Sharon's boldly profound declaration. She had no idea when her girlfriend had pulled her out of the chair. Sharon gently grasped Beth's shoulders and drew her closer. Their faces were a few inches apart. Sharon could feel Beth's warm breath caress her cheek. She entirely closed the gap between them and firmly kissed her girlfriend's lips. A soft gasp escaped from Beth, who was still slightly startled by Sharon's intense display of affection. She was seeing an entirely new side to Sharon Tyler. It would definitely take some time to get used to it. Beth enthusiastically kissed back before pulling back to deeply stare into Sharon's piercing blue eyes. Sharon was unabashedly grinning from ear to ear.

Beth inquired in a very serious tone, "Are you sure about this, Sharon?"

"I've never seen things as clearly as I do right now. We will get through this _together_," she affirmed confidently. Beth broke out into a wide grin and pulled her girlfriend into a bear hug. Despite her tiny body stature, Beth was quite strong.

No matter what would happen they always had each other's love to uplift and encourage one another. Love flourishes in mysterious ways. Love prevails in the end despite all the tumultuous ups and downs of life.

Living in the blissful moment, Sharon Tyler refused to dwell on her family problems. Nothing was going to ruin this beautiful moment. She was delightfully drowning in true happiness she severely lacked from her life for the longest time. Her prestigious career and well-respected reputation only provided an artificially temporary happiness. Sharon Tyler was no longer going through the motions of life nor experiencing the world with her eyes closed completely blind to life's marvelous splendor.

Back at the Tyler house, silence echoed throughout the entire home. The only prominent sounds were the footsteps of Darrin and Karen. Karen's distraught emotional state was skillfully hidden behind a wide beaming smile. No words were exchanged only passing glances between husband and wife. Darrin helped his wife prepare for that evening's weekly dinner with their two children, Jaye and Aaron. Karen was putting the finishing garnishes on the delectable food dishes. She optimistically hoped to see her eldest daughter at tonight's family dinner.

The same night the Tylers had their weekly family dinner _without _one family member. Karen and Darrin even allowed Jaye and Aaron to extend the dinner invitation to their significant others. For many years, weekly dinners had been restricted to only the five of them. This was a huge change for Darrin and his wife. The past few months had made them realize change wasn't necessarily a bad thing. They all needed to accept a change was inevitable regardless if it was anticipated or not.


End file.
